Process and apparatus for the manufacture of glass



- C. HEUZE Nov. 4, 1930.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF GLASS I Filed June 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 637:9, ES fifs'azzr ATTORNEY.

Nov. 4, 1930. c.-HEUzE 1,780,590.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE'OF GLASS Filed J1me 19, 1928 2 Sheets-She'et 2 INVENTOR. 6176,9455 627/25 i W M A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 4, 1930' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES HEUZE, OF vAU'VELAIS, BELGIUM, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE AMERICAN BICHEROUX COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS Application filed J'une'19, 1928, Serial No. 286,684, and in Belgium March 3, 1928.

The invention relates to annealing glass sheets or plates produced by intermittently acting forming machines.

It is known that in the method of forming it is advantageous to roll at relatively high speed. However, high speed of formation greatly complicates the subsequent treatment of the sheets during annealing, as the annealing is only a function of time and decreasing temperatures and as if, in intermittent manufacture, the sheets or plates, particularly when of great thickness, are carried along at speed of formation during annealing, the annealing apparatus mustbe of excessive length.

useful space in the lehr and the apparatus for driving the conveyer rollers is complex and delicate, thus increasing the cost of installation and maintenance.

This invention is designed to overcome the defects set forth and relates to a process and apparatus wherein sheets'or plates are intermittently formed at high speed and annealed while moved at a reduced speed, wherein the annealing apparatus may retain its normal dimensions and be completely ut lized over its entire extent. To accomplish this an intermediate, period is provided between the high speed rolling and the low speed annealing, during which intermediate period the rate of'movement or advance of the sheets or plates is modified. In other words,'a sheet or plate formed at high speed is received in a waiting position while the next sheet or plate is rolled and the previously rolled sheet or 40 plate is being passed into the annealing ap- 'paratus at reduced speed.

' The invention also consists in utilizing the intermediate or waiting period as a pre-annealing period for the sheets or plates, during which period they are carried into a position for introduction. into the annealing apparatus. It also contemplates, during this same period, in maintaining the sheets or plates in constant movement, such as to produce 7 practically complete flattening by the time they are introduced into the annealing apparatus.

. In addition to the process the invention also comprises an apparatus for carrying out said process.

In its simplest form, assuming the arrangement of a rolling machine and an annealing apparatus provided with a system of conveye'r rollers, this process may be carried but by means of two movable sheet receiving tables, each having a bed made up of conveyer rollers, and presented successively before a rolling machine which is located 511-.

ternately at each side of the longitudinal axis of the annealing apparatus, one table being in position in front of the machine to receive the sheet or plate to be rolled or in the course of rolling, and the other table being in position in front of the annealing apparatus for introducing the precedingly rolled sheet thereinto. The table in front of the rolling machine has its rollers driven so that their peripheral speed corresponds to or is slightly greater than the rolling speed, and as soon as the sheet or plate has passed entirely from the rolling machine and is resting on the table, the rollers of the latter are given an alternating rotary movement so as to maintain the sheet or plate in constant movement,

until the table is carried opposite the entrance to the annealing apparatus. after which the rollers of said table are driven at a peripheral speed equal to that of the supporting rollers of the annealing apparatus, for introducing the sheet or plate into this latter.

As the sheet or plate may cool down considerably during this intermediate period, means are preferablyprovided such as shields or hoods adapted to be folded down as desired in the vicinity of the sheet or plate so as to moderate and regulate its cooling.

The invention is described in detail hereinafterwith reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an assembled plant for rolling and annealing glass sheets or plates according to the invention. p

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic section on line A-B of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification form of my invention. 7

Referring to Figsll and 2, assuming that in accordance with the invention it is desired to manufacture glass sheets or platesby the intermittent method, there is provided a rolling machine A, for example of the Bicheroux type, comprising a pair of sheet forming rolls 1 and 2 and a delivery apron 4.

.This rolling machine A is movable ontracks 3 so as to assume one of the positions I or II, at eachside of the longitudinalaxis of the lehr 5, only a portion of whichis shown.

Two carriages or tables 6 and 7 are mounted on wheels traveling on tracks 8 and 9 parallel with those 3 of the rolling machine, so as to come into the two rolling positions.

The beds of the carriages are formed by rollers 6*, 7 a driven by suitable drive mechanisms capable of communicating thereto a continuous rotary movement at a peripheral speed at least equal to or slightly greater than the feed of the rolling machine, an alternate rotary movement, and finally a continuous rotary movement at a peripheral speed corresponding to that of the rollers 5 of the annealing apparatus, whichspeed is less than the speed of sheet formation. The rollers 6*, 7 a are substantially parallel with the forming rollers land 2 so that the axis of each train formed by the rollers 6, '7 is, when-such train is oppo'sitethe forming machine, in line with the axis of the forming machine.

In order to assure these drives each carriage may be provided with one or more motors,'such as a reversible electric motor 10 which, through a reducing gear train 10*, and a clutch device 11, acts onthe longitudinal shaft 12 connected by bevel gears or pinions 13 with the shafts of the rollers 6, 7 B to rotate the latter continuously at either one of two speeds, and an electric motor 14 which, through a crank device and a clutch 15, communicates to said shaft 12 an alternate rotation, by which the rollers 6" and 7 will be alternately rotated-in reverse directions.

The rollers 6" and 7 may also be driven, if desired, by the drive mechanism which drives the forming rolls 1 and 2 for theperiod during which the rollers 6 and 7 rotate at high speed, and by the drive mechanism which drives the rollers 5 of the annealing appara-,

tus during which the rollers 6* and are driven at a reduced speed.

A drive system of this kind is shown diagrammatically at the lower part of Fig. 1, comprising clutches 16 and 17 for table 6 and W 18-19 for table 7,"whereb the drive for the rollers 6 and 7 a maybe ta en from the drive for the rollers 5. l

If desired, use is made of a mixed or composite system comprising the drive electric motor 14' and clutch synchronous rotation. a

In addition, carriages 6 and 7 are provided system IS-17 to assure r with means to carry them from one or the other rolling position I'and II to the'introducing position III, said means for instance comprising for each carriage an electric motor 20 coupled to the supporting wheels for that carriage.

Finally, for retarding and if necessary regulating the cooling of the sheets or plates on the roller tables, there may be provided, as shown on Fig. 2, shields or hoods 21 mounted 'onthe carriages, these being adapted to be sheet formation, the result being that the sheet or plate advances at high speed on the roller train of carriage 6. I

As soon as the sheet or plate is completely deposited on this roller train, the high speed drive for the rollers 6 is uncoupled and the alternating and reciprocating drive from motor 14 is so connected that the sheet or plate is moved back and forth along the carriage, the result of which is to cause the disappearance of the slight undulations formed in the sheet or plate at their arrival on the rollers.

While a sheet is being thus fed to and handled by table 6 at position I, the previously formed sheet which is on table 7 is fed into the lehr 5 by driving the rollers 7 of that table at a reduced peripheral speed equal to that of the rollersfi of the lehr.

As soon as the sheet or plate is completely fed into the lehr from the carriage 7, carriage 7 is moved to position'II, the rolling machine A is moved into the same position II and the 1 carriage or table 6 is moved opposite the entrance to the lehr. This being done, the rollers of carriage 6 are driven at reduced speed to introduce the sheet or plate into apparag tus 5.

and thus surrounding the latter by apartially or completely closed -casing, I for the be a purpose of slowing down their cooling.

The apron 4 which is inclined may such length that the sheet may be more or less cooled before it reaches the roller bed.

This prevents the ends of the sheet sagging...

:20 down in the vicinity .of the sheets or plates version of the high speed operation into reduced speed operation and the feeding into the lehr is effected as in the first case.

Since, on the one hand, these tables or carriages provided with rollers. to a certain degree perform the function of a pre-annealmg chamber, the first rollers of the annealing apparatus are-in contact only with sheets or plates which have appreciably cooled, and thus less liable to deformation and, as on theother hand, the tables or carriages by retaining the sheets or plates thereon during a part of their cooling period, the di- .mensions of the annealing apparatus may be reduced proportionately. These tables 5 also permit of compensating for the slight differences of time in the rolling operations, and assuring complete utllization of the annea-hng apparatus throughout its entire extent.

Finally, the use of these tables permits without mechanical complications, the flattening or smoothing of the sheets or plates when these are undulating asa result of the Jfor ming process. Such undulations when produced are removed by the reversal of the sheetson the table and much better results "are obtained than by continuous movement of the annealing apparatus.

ItE-is understood that the invention maybe midifi ed without departing from the scope thereof.

Having thusdescribed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is t j 111 The hereinbefore described process tor the manufacture and annealing of glass sheets, comprising a forming step accomplished at highgspeed, an annealing step during which the sheet moves at a reduced speed, ,and'an intermediate step during which the sheet'is given an alternate fore and aft movement;

2.,The hereinbefore described process of manufacturing and annealing glass sheets, comprising forming a sheet at high speed and delivering the same as formedto a train of rollers, the axis of the train being in line with the axis of the forming machine and the peripheral speed of the rollers being the same 0 as the speed of sheet formation, moving-the sheet while on the train transversely out of 1 alignment with the forming machine instrumentalities and in alignment with a lehr, and'feeding the sheet off the train of rollers a'ndtowar'ds a lehr at a reduced speed by continuously rotating the rollers of the train at-a reduced speed. 1

3.. The hereinbefore described process of manufacturing and annealing glass sheets comprising forming a sheet at highspeedj and delivering the same as formed to a train of rollers, the axis of the train being in line with the axis of the forming machine and the rollers being driven at a peripheral speed the same as, the speed of formation, moving the sheet when on the train back and forth thereon by alternate rotation of the rollers of the train and transversely outof alignment with the forming machine and into alignment with a lehr by a bodily movement, of the train, and feeding the sheet -ofl' the train of rollers towards the lehr by continuously ro tating the rollers of the train at 'a reduced 7 ed 7 a 4. In an apparatus for the intermittent manufacture of glass sheets, the combination of a sheetv forming m achine, of a roller bed receiving the sheets as formed, means for successively continually rotating certain'of the rollers of the said bed at a high speed, for imparting alternate reciprocating rotation to the saidrollers andfor rotating them continually at a low speed,-a-conveyer having a low speed of movementlto whichthe sheets are delivered from the roller bed, and means for controlling the cooling ofthe sheets.

5. In an apparatus j'forf the intermittent manufacture of glass sheets, the combina- 1 tlon of asheet'formingmachlneg'means to move the same transversely ofjitslinefof feed into two formingposition's,Ia"lehr provided with means for feeding the sheets/there through at a speed-[less than the speed of sheet formation, "a plurality of carriages,

means for movin 'g fea'ch' carriagejfromzonej of the sheet forming positionsinto allgmnent v with the lehr, a roller bed carried :byf-Euph carriage, and means for driving the rollers of the said beds atsp'eed-o and at the speed of lehr 'fe'ed 6. In an apparatus for- If manufacture of glass sheetsthe -''combination of a sheet forming rnachi n'e, means to move the same transversel-y fof itsilinejof feed into two rolling p OSltlOn S ffl.jij1811i if'pifovided with -means for feeding the sheets the'rethrough at aspeed lessfthanlth'at ofth'e speed-ofishe'et formation, a pluralitynofcarriages, means for moving each carriagefrom one "of the sheet forming positions into alignment'with' the lehr, a roller bed carried by each carriage,

and means for continually rotating the rollers 1 v of the said beds at speed .of sheet formation and at the speed of lehr, and i0]; alternately rotating the .saidrollers atwill'. i" a 7. The hereinbefore described,

transporting glass sheets from a forming'machine to a lehr, wh ch comprises carrying the sheets afterthey are fully formedona series of rollers and imparting to such "sheets a back and forth movement by a reverse rotation of the rollers.

8. The vhereinbefore described method of handling and flatteningsheet glass during a portion "of its cooling period and after it has been formed, which comprises receiving the formed sheet from a forming machine on a roller bed at the speed of sheet formation,

Y and while the sheet is free ofjthe forming machine, giving the sheet a back and forth movement by alternate rotation of the rollers;

9. The combination with a glass sheet forming mechanism including a forming pass,'

of a bedto'receive the sheet when and as formed, and comprisin a series of lass sup port1ng.rollers, means or driving t e rollers at the speed ofsheet formation to take the sheet from the forming pass,cfor subsetgiently impartin galternate reciprocations t 20.

ereto, and for t en continuing the forward motion of the'sheet in the direction as it was taken from the machine, means for controlling the heat losses of the sheet whilereciprocated by the last-named motion of the rollers,

' CHARLES HEUZE. 

